The present invention relates generally to a foldable or collapsible stool or similar support apparatus.
Portable and collapsible stools are well known in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,489,144 to Lewis describes a portable folding footstool for supporting the legs of an individual relative to a ground surface. The footstool has a support member receiving the individual""s legs thereon, and a folding leg assembly for positioning the support member above the ground surface, which can be folded flatly against the support member for storage and transportation purposes. However, the Lewis footstool suffers form the disadvantage of a relatively large number of parts, thereby increasing manufacturing and construction costs and time. Even in the folded position, the Lewis footstool still takes up a relatively large volume.
U.S. No. Pat. 6,036,269 to Colton describes a foldable footstool constructed of plastic or paperboard, or corrugated plastic such as COROPLAST or paperboard. The footstool is foldably constructed from a flat blank of the material to form a closed-top footstool, which can be used for resting one""s feet upon. The foldable laminated footstool includes a top portion and a foldably attached crossing bottom assembly wherein slots or the equivalent provided in crossing members of the bottom crossing allow for the foldably attached crossing bottom assembly to securedly assemble into a rigid-like assembled position. The crossing bottom assembly comprises four crossing members. Each crossing member has a slot of sufficient width so that, upon assembly, each crossing member can foldably cross under the top portion of the footstool, and become securedly fixed within the slots of other crossing members.
However, in the flat blank of the material, the crossing bottom assembly protrudes outwards of the top portion. Since the crossing members are slender and elongate, they are prone to unintentional bending, crimping and other damage when in the flat, unfolded position. Colton attempts to solve this problem by providing fastening means, such as VELCRO strips, for securing the crossing members in a flat configuration for carrying. The fastening means is said to prevent the unintentional unfolding of the crossing bottom assembly. However, the added thickness of the crossing members in the folded position adds to the overall thickness of the footstool in the folded position, thereby consuming more volume for storage and transportation.
The present invention seeks to provide an improved collapsible or foldable stool. In one preferred embodiment, a generally flat arcuate sheet is folded along score lines to form the stool. The sheet is preferably made of a thin, yet strong and resilient plastic. The finished stool is sturdy and strong, and can even support the weight of a heavy adult. When the sheet is flat, the stools may be stacked very compactly for ease of transportation and storage.
The term stool, as used throughout the disclosure, refers to any kind of support apparatus, such as relatively low structures used for resting feet thereupon, any kind of stool for sitting or resting thereupon, and any kind of support device for laying or resting objects and persons thereupon.
There is thus provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention apparatus including a generally flat sheet with a plurality of score lines formed thereon, the score lines defining a contour of a resting surface, a plurality of legs and a plurality of web portions all contiguous with each other. Adjacent web portions are preferably fastenable to each other.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a plurality of fasteners are provided, each fastener adapted to fasten a pair of the web portions together. The fasteners may be integrally formed with the sheet. For example, the fasteners may be a slit and tongue cut out in adjacent web portions, wherein the tongue snugly fits into the slit. Another example is a snap fastener integrally molded with the sheet, such as by means of injection molding. In accordance with another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the sheet has holes formed therein for the fasteners to pass therethrough. The fasteners may include threaded fasteners, or snap fasteners attached to the sheet, for example.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the score lines are arcuate, and may be shaped generally like a contour of a conic section.
Further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the score lines are generally symmetric about a center point of the sheet.
Still further in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention the sheet is folded about the score lines to form a stool placeable upon a supporting surface, wherein the resting surface is distanced from the supporting surface and the legs extend from the resting surface to the supporting surface, and adjacent web portions are fastened to each other with the fasteners.
The sheet may be constructed of a material, which when folded about the score lines, bends generally in a bowed formation. For example, the sheet may be constructed of a flexible material, such as polypropylene.
There is also provided in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention a method for forming a stool including providing a generally flat sheet with a plurality of score lines formed thereon, the score lines defining a contour of a resting surface, a plurality of legs and a plurality of web portions all contiguous with each other, folding the sheet about the score lines to form a stool placeable upon a supporting surface, wherein the resting surface is distanced from the supporting surface and the legs extend from the resting surface to the supporting surface, and fastening adjacent web portions to each other.